Letting Him Go
by Abigail Esss
Summary: What if Rayna had married Luke instead of choosing Deacon? Where would that leave the two of them? Could they really let each other go when they hadn't been able to for twenty years?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Unfortunately, I do not own these characters or the storyline that inspired this.

Chapter 1

"Rayna, do you take Luke for your lawful wedded husband? Will you love, honour, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live?" The voice blurred around her. It was her turn to speak but she couldn't find the words yet. It wasn't that she didn't love him, it was just… Deacon. She had thought that he would make some grand gesture to stop the wedding, declaring his love for her. He hadn't. Part of her wished he had, the part of her that couldn't stop loving him. No, she told herself. This was what she wanted. She wanted to marry Luke. Why else did she say yes?

"I do…" She eventually answered. Her voice was shaky but she could pass it off as nerves; there were five hundred people behind her watching eagerly as the 'King and Queen of Country' wed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Luke smiling. This was the right thing to do. Luke was dependable, he would be there for her, there wasn't the risk that he would suddenly abandon her and turn to a bottle when things got difficult. Daphne loved him, even Maddie had come around in the last month and wasn't acting out so much. And Rayna did love him. She just wasn't so keen on his lifestyle and the media attention that had descended on her family since she had accepted his proposal. But then of course, there was Deacon and that never ending thing between them. Or maybe it was ending. Maybe by choosing Luke, she had ended it and there was no going back. That would explain his absence today. She had invited him despite Luke's reluctance partly for Maddie's sake, partly for her own. Perhaps it had been because his presence would symbolise his blessing towards the marriage and that was what she needed before going through with this: for him to be ok with it. Perhaps after everything they had been through in the last twenty years, all the hurt and the anger and everything else that came with it, she needed assurance that he was ok with her marrying someone else _again_. But he wasn't there, he wasn't ok with it. Yet there she was going through with it regardless.

Rayna was so caught up in her own musings that she didn't even hear Luke's vows or the Celebrant's words to her. Luke's gentle squeeze of her hands brought her back to the present.

"Sorry…" She smiled, hoping that no one would realise that her mind was focused on a man who wasn't the man stood beside her in front of the alter. "I, Rayna take Luke to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honour, and cherish, 'til death do us part, and thereto I plight thee my troth." She had said the words enough times both in rehearsal and her previous wedding to know it by heart.

Was it naïve to think Deacon would show? Why had she even invited him? It was cruel in the same way that it was cruel for her to marry Luke but not be fully committed to it. She had made her own secret vow that morning that her marriage to Luke would not be a mirror image of her and Teddy's marriage. She had promised that Deacon would not be the third person in the marriage. Luke deserved better and she wanted to give him better. She would give him better.

"With this ring, I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment." Luke spoke clearly as he slid the silver band onto her finger, she smiled as he did so.

"With this ring, I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment." Rayna copied his words and action. She had done it. There was no going back. This was going to be a success or she would die trying to make it one. Deacon hadn't given her his blessing but he also hadn't cared enough to show up and put a stop to it. She was finally drawing a line under whatever it was they had in the past. She was moving on. He was Maddie's father but that was it. There was no longer anything between the two of them. She had picked Luke. It was the right choice. She loved him.

"You may now kiss the bride." The Celebrant spoke. Suddenly, Luke's lips brushed against hers, hesitant at first, his hands on her waist. She leaned into his touch, placing one hand around his neck, the other one on his face and he deepened the kiss in response.

After signing the register, they followed the guests into the huge marquee that had been decorated for their reception. Luke led her in and the guests (many of them from the music industry), who had already taken their seats clapped and cheered. Maddie was the first of her family and friends to congratulate the couple. Rayna and her oldest daughter shared a warm embrace before Maddie stepped back and smiled. It was going to be ok. Maddie was going to be ok. Next was Daphne who couldn't have been happier that the two had married. She hugged both Rayna and Luke, followed by Sage and Colt, Luke's children. Whilst they congratulated their father, Rayna was embraced by Tandy.

"You made the right choice…" she whispered softly so that only Rayna could hear. "Last night was just nerves… you love him and he loves you." Rayna nodded. "This is best for your girls… it's healthy, stable." Tandy continued. She was right. It was healthy, it was stable and it was what she wanted. It had always been what she had wanted, she _had_ chosen Luke after Deacon had proposed after all. Last night was just confusion of what had happened the last few months with the Rolling Stone article and Deacon's sudden emergence as a good father to Maddie and his confession of his love for her. Luke was who she wanted.

Next to congratulate her was Bucky, the one man who had been by her side through everything. He was smiling.

"Are you ok?" He whispered to her. "Tandy told me about last night…"

"I'm fine… it was just nerves." Rayna whispered. Bucky smiled reassuringly. "Good." He said before turning to Luke. "Luke…" He held out his hand and the two shook. "Take good care of her." He concluded. Rayna laughed and Luke promised that he would. Then, they took their seats at the table. They were seated with their kids and Tandy, Rayna had managed to convince Luke to sit Faith and Tim somewhere else.

The rest of the day passed in a daze. Rayna remained in a dream like state, aware of what was going on but almost seeing it through someone else's eyes. As though it was someone else's waist beneath Luke's hand during the first dance… someone else's lips connecting with his… someone else being congratulated by their guests.

"Have you seen dad?" Maddie asked Tandy whilst they were eating the main course.

"No, I didn't realise he was invited." Tandy replied before turning to Rayna, who was engaged in conversation with Luke. "Is Deacon here?" Rayna felt Luke tense beneath her hand, where it was rested on his thigh.

"No, he's not." She replied, smiling weakly at Maddie, who nodded her head, turned back to Colt and started a conversation with him. "What were you saying?" she asked Luke. Changing the topic of conversation was the best way to avoid any altercation with him about their missing guest. Furthermore, she didn't want to keep thinking about Deacon, talking about him meant that she had to think about him. He had decided not to come to the wedding and she accepted that just like he had accepted her decision to marry Luke by not contesting the wedding.

Rayna gave Luke's leg a squeeze. He turned to her and she kissed him in order to appease him. It worked, he continued with what he had been saying before Tandy interrupted them.

It was until later that night, once the guests had all left and they had returned to her house that the surrealism of the day finally passed.

"Is there still a bottle of champagne in the fridge, babe?" Luke asked her, walking into the kitchen.

"I didn't realise there was one…" She replied, hanging her coat up

"Yeah, I put one there yesterday… I had thought you and Tandy would drink this morning."

"We would've done if I had known it was there." She answered checking her phone. There was a message from Deacon that said congratulations. Seconds after reading it, her phone buzzed in her hand. This one was from Scarlett and it read "Ignore the message from Deacon."

Confused, she stood up. "I'll be in the bedroom…" She announced to Luke who was in the process of pouring champagne into two glasses.

"I'll be there in a minute…" He replied.

Rayna took a seat on the plush bed, trying to steady her breathing. What did the text mean? Had he given her his blessing? Was he accepting that she had chosen Luke? Did that mean he was prepared to have a healthy relationship with her? Or was Scarlett's text right? Was she supposed to ignore it because he was being sarcastic or he was drunk? If that was the case, did that mean they were done? No. she wasn't going to do this. She had just married another man. This was her choice. The only thing between her and Deacon now was their daughter. That was all there could be. She wasn't going to do it to Luke, she did love him after all.

Luke was true to his word and within minutes had joined her in the bedroom. He placed the two glasses on the bedside table before taking her hands in his and pulled her on to her feet. Wrapping his arms around her waist he gently kissed her lips.

"So, Mrs Wheeler…" He said when they broke apart. Rayna laughed. Gently, he turned her around and unbuttoned her dress. His hands softly skimmed her skin lower, she thought, than required to do the task. They hovered at the small of her back for moments before moving up to her shoulders where they pushed the fabric slowly to the floor. It pooled around her feet leaving her stood in her slip; he trailed kisses down her neck and along until his lips found themselves blocked by the strap. In haste he pushed the straps and the slip found itself in a similar position to the dress. She leaned against him as he returned to kissing. He continued for a few more minutes, her breath became shallower and shallower, desire took over her; she turned around to face him, stepping out of the garments at her feet, capturing his lips with hers, moving back towards the bed. Her attention turned to undressing him as quickly as possible. He laughed at her desperation for him to be naked and pushed her onto the bed, climbing on top off her. Rayna pulled him towards her when something caught her eye. The seven carat diamond engagement ring was flickering in the light but that wasn't it, next to the ring was the silver band that her husband had placed there earlier. _Her husband._ She momentarily froze. But then a small voice in her head repeated the message that Deacon had sent her. He had let her go and now she was able to do the same. She turned back to her husband, leaned into kiss him, deeply, passionately. She was letting him go.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sunlight streamed through the curtains casting hazy speckles along the carpet. Slowly Rayna stirred from her slumber. The clock read 7:00. It was too early to be up. Events of the previous day flashed before her and she was suddenly aware of the weight across her body. Looking down, she saw Luke's arm draped across her. Turning her head, she saw that he was still sleeping deeply. Sighing at the fact that she had been woke up so early, she climbed out of bed, pulled her silk dressing gown around her and went downstairs. Silence echoed through the house as she made her way downstairs. When she reached the kitchen, she boiled the kettle. She needed a coffee.

Coffee made, she leaned against the kitchen worktop in a reflective mood. Yesterday had gone almost exactly the way it should've. Rayna had married Luke like she was supposed to, Deacon hadn't objected like he wasn't supposed to. People magazine had the story of the wedding of the year and possibly decade and so was paying for the wedding like it was supposed. The only thing that hadn't gone according to plan was Deacon's absence and the texts from both him and Scarlett that didn't make any sense. Still, Deacon had said congratulations to her so perhaps he was happy for her. It was really bothering her. Why show his opposition to the wedding by not showing up and then offer her congratulations? It didn't make sense. The paradox of it was really vexing her. Unless Scarlett's message was the answer: Deacon didn't mean it and Scarlett was trying to repair any damage that it could potentially do. That was probably closer to the truth.

"Hey…" Luke said wrapping his arms around her waist. Rayna jumped. She hadn't even heard him get up. "Someone's jumpy this morning…" He teased. She laughed before turning and kissing him.

"Now that is what I call a good morning." He said as they broke apart. "Well, Mrs Wheeler, I had intended on making you breakfast in bed… but seen as how you're up… what do you want?"

"Surprise me… I'm gonna have a shower." She replied before stepping out of his embrace.

The first thing she did when she got upstairs was check her phone for any new messages from Deacon although she wouldn't admit that to herself. There weren't any. It was foolish to think that there would be. Why would he be texting her the day after she got married to another man? He hadn't spoken to her since the article had come out and he wasn't going to start now.

By the time she returned downstairs, the smell of cooking was wafting through the house. Luke was making her buttermilk pancakes and their scent was enticing her nostrils.

"Something smells good…" Rayna said entering the kitchen.

"If I recall, you were a huge fan last time I made them…"

"I was…" She smiled. He always seemed to remember the trivial things about her.

"Take a seat…" He gestured to the table as he placed a pancake on the plate. Sitting down, she stood and watched him. There was something about the scene in front of her eyes, the smell of the house that assured her that she had made the right choice. She smiled.

"What?" he asked, placing the plate in front of her.

"Nothing… I was just thinkin' how happy I am."

"That makes two of us…" He replied kissing the top of her head before taking the seat opposite. "So, Mrs Wheeler, how do want spend today?"

"Well Mr Wheeler… what did you have in mind?"

"Well, I know something we could do…" he teased and she laughed.

"That wouldn't be very productive…" Rayna replied.

"No but it would be very enjoyable." He leaned across kissing her, his lips brushed against hers and she responded. "Very… very… very enjoyable…" He said between kisses. She didn't take much convincing and before long they were back among the bed sheets, passion and lust engulfing the two of them.

"Well that was…" She laughed.

"That might have been the best sex we've ever had…" Luke replied, again she laughed before leaning into him, one of his arms draped across her body, the other stretched out behind her head. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. She smiled. This was the right choice. She would be happy. Suddenly the sound of the doorbell pulled her out of her musing.

"I'll go…" Luke exclaimed, moving to get out of the bed and scrambling to find some form of

clothing.

Rayna stayed where she was for a while longer. When Luke didn't return, she too got out of bed, pulled her discarded robe around her and went in search of her husband. She found him downstairs with Bucky and Doug, Luke's manager. That explained why he hadn't come back.

"Hey Ray…" Bucky said as she walked into the kitchen. Luke turned to face her, beaming.

"Hey…" She replied.

"Miss Jaymes…" Luke's manager spoke. "Sorry should that be Wheeler?" he joked. The four of them laughed.

"No I will stay as Jaymes… I think." She replied. Luke looked confused for a moment. "It makes more sense." She reassured him.

"We're just discussing final arrangements for the tour, babe." Luke informed her. She nodded.

"Am I needed?" She asked, more Bucky than anyone else. "Or can I take a shower?" 

"Not really, it's the logistics… I can fill you in later…" Bucky replied. "To be honest, we've discussed most of it anyway. One more thing… People magazine want some details on the dress and things…"

"Let them have whatever they want." Rayna replied, they were paying for the wedding after all.

"Well… Mrs Wheeler we are officially on honeymoon…" Luke said wrapping his arms around her body from behind as she was hanging a top in the wardrobe. They were standing in their suite in the Peabody Hotel. She laughed. "Do you know what that means?" He continued.

"Hmmm…" She teased. He began trailing kisses down her neck. But before it could go any further, there was a knock at the door.

"Ray…" It was Bucky.

"One sec…" She called back. "We can finish this later..." she said stepping out of Luke's embrace before walking towards the door and opening it.

"Great timing, Buck…" Luke said as the man walked into the room.

"Sorry, I know it is your honeymoon but Ray… you're needed for sound check."

Luke sighed.

"I'll meet you downstairs…" Rayna told her manager and he shot her a look before nodding and heading out the door. She turned to her husband who was now sat on the bed, checking his phone and feigning disinterest.

"I'll be as quick as I can…" she said, stepping towards him and leaning into kiss him. He dropped his phone on the bed, placing his hands on her hips, pulling her closer to him.

"Or… you could be late to sound check…" he teased.

"Don't tempt me…" she said but it was too late, he was already undoing her blouse. Her hands followed his redoing the buttons but he just undid them again and this time she didn't resist. His lips were working their way down her neck to the sensitive spot on the nape. She _couldn't_ resist.

The plush bedding was soft as her bare skin collided with it. Luke was laying kisses on her chest, down her sternum and back up reaching her breasts. He took one in his mouth, zigzagging his tongue across it. She moaned beneath him. She could see the desire in his eyes and it was making her wet. His hands slid down to her panties. Rapidly, he discarded them, flinging them on the hotel room floor. Now his lips attacked her hip bone, in particular the tattoo that she had gotten more than a decade before, that had been a dedication to Deacon at the time. It was as if Luke was trying to get rid of the mark, claiming her for his own, trying to erase Deacon from her life. _That was never gonna happen._ A voice whispered. Now her mind was focused on Deacon. Still Luke's lips sucked the skin. His possessiveness was a real turn on. Just as all thoughts of Deacon were leaving her head, Luke stopped. His mouth made its way to her inner thigh where it trailed a mixture of delicate and hungry kisses. Without realising, she moaned. Satisfied with her reaction, he slowly slid a finger into her. Rayna shivered from his touch.

"Is that good?" he asked. A moan was all she could muster. Wanting to push her even further to the edge, he added his mouth to the situation. It gentle caressed her before he sucked hard. Deacon well and truly out of her mind, all she could think about was how close she was to release. Suddenly he stopped. She was in agony.

"Luke…"

"Don't worry…" he replied before he thrust into her. She was in ecstasy as he pumped in and out of her. Within minutes she came, screaming out his name.

"You're trembling…"

"Luke…" She was close to her second orgasm. Her breathing was elated. Feeling them both close, he sped up. It wasn't long before they both reached their climax.

"You need to get ready for sound check…." He said falling back onto the bed next to her.

"I think I need a minute or two…" she replied and he laughed.

"Yeah you might."

"I'm definitely late…" Her breathing was still erratic. "I'm never late…"

"They'll forgive you… it is our honeymoon…" he stated matter of factly. Bucky was probably having a heart attack. He did not like being late and by the time she had showered and dressed, she was definitely going to be late.

"Ok… I need to have a shower…" she stated aloud, more to herself than Luke.

"If you're going in the shower, I'm comin' with you."

"Luke! I'm going in the shower to freshen up, you comin' with me defeats the point." She stood up. He leaned back against the headboard.

"If you're havin' a shower… I am joining you." He replied stubbornly.

"You're impossible! Fine… I'll skip the shower." She exclaimed frustrated. Instead, Rayna quickly got dressed into a new outfit; she didn't know where the clothes she had on earlier were.

It wasn't long before she was dressed and on her way out of the hotel room.

"You forgot something!" Luke called to her.

"I'm not falling for that one." She called back. "Try and find something to entertain yourself whilst I'm out…" And with that, she left the room.

She smelt of sex as she made her way to the elevator, and downstairs to meet Bucky.

"We good?" He asked as she walked towards him.

"Yeah…" She replied. That's when she saw him. Walking towards the elevator as she was crossing the lobby, was Deacon.


	3. Chapter 3

Deacon. What was he doing here? He was supposed to be in Nashville. The universe officially hated her. Deacon had left Luke's tour because it was merging with Rayna's. He wasn't supposed to be in the same state as her let alone the same hotel! How was she supposed to get over him, how was she supposed to stand by her decision when for the first few days of her married life, he was going to be in the same building as her? Damn. What about Luke? How would he react? Should she tell him?

"Ray…" Bucky exclaimed.

"Hmmm… yeah." She had no idea what she had just agreed to.

"Ray? What is it?"

"Deacon… he's here in the hotel…"

"Here? Are you sure Ray? Leave it with me." Bucky said. "I'll sort it out before Luke finds out…"

"Thanks, Buck."

Sound check went terribly. Rayna was too distracted by Deacon and kept missing her cue or messed up the words. In the end, Bucky stopped it. He arranged for Rayna to continue it later that day. Usually, Rayna would've argued against it but the sound check was as far from her mind as possible. Instead, she kept seeing Deacon's face and Luke's reaction when he found out that Deacon was in the Peabody. She was doing her best to make the marriage to work, she wanted it to work but Deacon being there was not helping. It was making her question her choice. Had she made the right one? What if she hadn't? What if this was a sign that she had done the wrong thing _? But then what was the right thing?_ A small voice asked her. _Deacon?_ Of course he wasn't. She couldn't go there again. There was too much hurt. She had told him that what she needed was a clean state and it was true. She needed relationship without the painful past that she had with Deacon. Luke was the right choice. This was just a coincidence. She was overthinking it.

"You ok?"

"Yeah…"

"You seem distracted…" Luke commented. They were sat in a café, just the two of them.

"Sorry… I just… sound check went badly." She lied.

"You're Rayna Jaymes… the concert will be fine…" He said taking her hand in his. "Besides you know what they say… a bad rehearsal means a good performance…"

"Well tomorrow night is going to be one hell of a performance." She mused.

Luke laughed. "That bad?"

"I forgot the words and those I remembered were sang out of tune."

"Rayna Jaymes out of tune?" He joked. "Is something up?" His tone was less playful now.

"I just hope Maddie's ok…" She lied and then hated herself for it. This wasn't how a marriage was supposed to be, at least not at the start. She had been married less than a week and was already lying to him.

"I thought we had turned a corner with her…"

"We had but I don't know… it feels like her sudden change of heart was too sudden…" Ok, so she wasn't completely lying to him. She was concerned that Maddie had only changed her opinion for Rayna's sake and that once things were settled, she would revert to how she had been before.

"You think that it was just a show for the wedding?"

"Possibly…" she sighed.

"Well if that is the case, we will deal with it together when it happens." Luke reassured her, placing a hand across her back resting it on her chair. This was the right choice. He was.

"Thanks babe…" She replied; at least he didn't know about Deacon. That was a good sign. Hopefully, Bucky had spoken to him and she didn't have to worry about him anymore.

"Are you sure that's it?" Luke asked her after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah… I'm fine…" she said convincing both herself and him.

"Good…" he gave her hand a squeeze before removing it and reaching for his drink. "So… we have a few hours before you have to go back to the stadium, how do you want to spend them?"

"How do you want to spend them?"

"Well, we could go back to the hotel…"

"Luke!" Rayna exclaimed.

"Or we could do some shopping or something…" That Rayna agreed to.

By the time Rayna returned to the stadium for her postponed sound check, Deacon had left her mind. She had completely forgotten that he was staying in the same hotel as her. He remained forgotten about until she returned to the hotel that night and she saw him again. Like before, they were both crossing the lobby. Unlike before, she was going into the hotel and he was leaving. This time, he saw her. Their eyes found each other across the space. The world stopped moving. They were paralysed. Then she saw it. The anger in his eyes. The hurt. He looked away and the world returned around her. Suddenly, Scarlett was by his side. She waved at Rayna, who waved back. Then Deacon smiled and waved. Rayna did the same. So maybe things weren't as bad as she thought. A wave suggested things between them were ok and she could live with ok. He was hurting, of course he was but he was prepared to be 'friends' with her. Was friends the word? Suddenly, her phone buzzed. It was Luke, wondering where she was. She looked back up from her phone but Deacon and Scarlett were gone.

Rayna made her way to the hotel room, her head spinning. She was so confused. She didn't understand what was going on. Deacon sent her a message giving her his blessing, Scarlett told her to ignore it, then when he saw her, he was hurting, then he waved. What was going on? It didn't make sense. Was he trying to give her his blessing, to be supportive of her decision or was he still annoyed that she had picked Luke? She didn't know and it was exhausting trying to work it out. Maybe it would be better if she didn't see Deacon until he had figured out how he felt. Maybe it would be better if the only relationship they had was about Maddie. Maybe they couldn't be friends because he clearly still loved her and seeing her was hurting him. That was the last thing she wanted. She may have been married to Luke but she did still care for Deacon and always would. He just couldn't be a rival for her heart anymore. That had destroyed her marriage to Teddy and she wasn't going to let it happen with Luke.

"Hey… I didn't see the point in texting you back when I was downstairs…" Rayna said as she walked into the suite.

"It's fine… I just wasn't sure if I should wait to have a shower or if I should start getting ready." Luke said, coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, his chest exposed. Rayna bit her lip.

"You should've waited…" She replied playfully, a smirk on her face.

"I should've…" He said just as playfully. "But I could always join you…"

"You could…" They were less than a metre away from each other now. His lips captured hers and she smiled against him. She was about to deepen the kiss when her phone rang.

"Leave it." Luke demanded in between kisses.

"I can't… what if it's Maddie or Daphne?" She responded. Reluctantly, he let go of her. It wasn't either daughter but was instead Bucky.

"Hey Buck…" Hearing that it was only Bucky, Luke walked up behind her and placed his hands on her waist underneath her top. His lips found the sensitive spot on her neck.

"Hey Rayna… about the problem… I couldn't find him…"

"Luke stop it…" Rayna exclaiming, the kisses becoming a distraction. "Ok thanks Buck."

"I'll try again later…" he suggested.

"Thanks… I appreciate it." She breathed out as Luke's kisses got more intense. "Luke!" This time, he listened and walked back into the bathroom.

"Was this a bad time?"

"No… not really. Luke was just… never mind."

"Well I will speak to Deacon later… make the most of tonight… it won't be long before you are wishing it back." Bucky joked and Rayna laughed.

"You're right. Ok, I'll see you in the morning." Rayna said concluding the conversation. Upon her hanging up, Luke came out of the bathroom fully dressed. Rayna frowned but didn't say anything. He was obviously annoyed that she had shouted at him but she was trying to have a conversation and Luke knew that he was distracting her.

"What was that about?"

"Nothing important." She stated, walking to the wardrobe, taking out the dress she was going to wear and walking into the bathroom. Two could play that game.

"Have you decided yet?" The waitress asked. "Or would you like a few more minutes?"

"Can we have a few more minutes?" Rayna asked. She still hadn't decided what she wanted. She was too distracted by the person sat at the table behind Luke. It was Scarlett. On seeing Rayna, she had waved and Rayna had waved back. Luke remained oblivious but Rayna was worried. Scarlett was sat on her own and kept both her watch and phone. As far as Rayna knew, Scarlett wasn't dating anyone and that meant that person Scarlett was waiting for was Deacon. If Luke found out Deacon was staying in the Peabody, well Rayna couldn't predict what would happen.

"What are you leaning towards?" Luke asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

"I really can't decide… the chicken sounds nice but so does the pasta…"

"The chicken's garlic isn't it?" She nodded. "Have the pasta…" she could tell from the expression on his face what he was insinuating.

"I think I'll have the chicken…" She teased.

"How was sound check?"

"Much better…" She replied, her attention more focused on the menu.

"Something must've been on your mind earlier…"

"Hmmm…" She knew where it was going: Luke wanted to know what was so distracting that she had for the first time ever forgotten the words. Rayna, on the other hand, did not want to talk about Deacon. Bucky had promised to resolve the situation without Luke finding out and that was how she wanted it to be. What he didn't know couldn't hurt him. She just had to get to tomorrow without Luke finding out and everything would be fine. "I think I've decided." She announced trying to change the conversation.

"At last…"

"I'm surprised we haven't had any autograph requests…" Rayna mused.

"Maybe we're just not as popular as we thought." They both laughed. The waiter returned a few minutes later and took their order. As he was going so, something caught Rayna's eye. Someone had just walked past their table, behind Luke to where Scarlett was sat. He took a seat. Scarlett said something to him, no doubt about Luke and Rayna. He turned around. Rayna froze. It was who she had been dreading. Deacon smiled. She smiled back. By now, Luke had finished ordering. Deacon was still staring at her intently. She couldn't look away as though some force was holding her there, drawing her toward him. He wanted her and she was going everything in her power to not want him. But when he looked at her like that, she couldn't help it. Thankfully, Scarlett said something to Deacon and he turned away, breaking the connection. Rayna turned back to Luke, trying her best to keep up with whatever he was talking about.

There were several moments during the course of the meal that had Rayna on edge; several moments in which Luke came so close to turning around and seeing Deacon. But thankfully he didn't. He didn't see Deacon when came back from the bathroom. He didn't see Deacon when he the waiter almost split food on him from behind. He didn't see Deacon when a woman a few tables behind dropped a glass, smashing into one thousand tiny pieces. He didn't see Deacon when he knocked his folk on the floor. He didn't see Deacon when the two chairs bumped into each other as Deacon stood up. With every incident, Rayna had mentally rehearsed the surprise in her voice she would have to feign, the shocked smile. But each time, Luke had remained ignorant to Deacon's presence.

"You know, after tomorrow we're going to be pretty exhausted…" Rayna said stepping out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, dressed only in a thin, silk slip. Luke was sat on the bed, reading something on his phone. Rayna climbed onto the bed behind him, took the phone out of his hands, tossing it onto the carpet and placed her hands around his torso. Her lips made their way to his neck, sucking gently. He laughed. "And that means we won't have a lot of time for this…"

"Hmmm, we'll just have to make this amazing…" It was Rayna's turn to laugh as Luke turned around to face her, capturing her lips with his. For a few moments, the two were lost in a passionate embrace before Rayna's phone sounded. Someone was face- timing her. Luke pulled away sighing.

"It's Daphne." He said holding the phone out to her. "I think I'll go down to the bar." Rayna rolled her eyes.

"Hey sweetie…"

Luke was annoyed. All wanted was to be able to make love to his wife without someone or something interrupting them. Apparently, the universe didn't want that to happen. Instead it insisted on phone calls that Rayna _had_ to answer. Of course that didn't help his mood either. She didn't _have_ to answer every single one! Rayna had been somewhat distracted today and didn't want to talk about why. Maybe she had changed her mind about marrying him, maybe she was regretting it. He didn't know what to do. Cooling off seemed like the best solution and so he had told her he was going to the bar. It also gave her the chance to talk to Daphne and probably Maddie without him being there. He knew Maddie wasn't thrilled about the wedding so perhaps it was best he wasn't there.

"Beer please." He said to the girl behind the bar; she wasn't very old, not much older than Maddie he guessed. Despite her age, she was quick at serving and within minutes handed him the drink. Then she looked at him.

"Put it on my tab…" He assumed she was waiting for payment. "Room…"

"There's no need…" she interrupted him. "I would've thought that you would be upstairs… you know… with your wife…" she paused second guessing herself. "You _are_ Luke Wheeler?"

"Yes."  
"And you _did_ get married the other day?"

"Yes."

"So…"

He frowned at her, unsure of what she was asking for a moment. "Oh, right… she's upstairs on the phone to her daughters… I thought it best to let them have some privacy."

After that she left him alone. She was too busy working to have a conversation with him and thanks to her, he was beginning to feel guilty for leaving Rayna. He decided he would finish his drink then head back upstairs to pick up where he had left off.

"Whiskey sour…" A man had just appeared on Luke's left. The voice sounded familiar. Luke turned to see who it belonged to. His eyes fell upon the last person he expected to see. Deacon…


	4. Chapter 4

" _Whiskey sour…" A man had just appeared on Luke's left. The voice sounded familiar. Luke turned to see who it belonged to. His eyes fell upon the last person he expected to see. Deacon…_

How much had he had to drink? He was sure it was only one. Luke did a double take. Deacon was still sat there. No he hadn't imagined it. At first he was surprised. This was the last place he had expected to see Deacon. Why wasn't he in Nashville? Did Rayna know? What this some sort of attempt to make her choose him?

"Luke…" he turned to where the voice had come from. Deacon was holding up the glass. "To the happy couple. Where is she by the way?"

"I left her in bed, she was quite exhausted after we…" It had the effect he wanted. "Aren't you supposed to be in Nashville?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Did you miss me?" Deacon joked.

"No, I was rather glad you weren't at the wedding…" he said pausing.

"I bet…" Deacon said taking a drink. "How does that feel?" He continued, wondering how far he could push Luke before he snapped. "Knowing that had another man turned up at the wedding, your _**wife**_ wouldn't have gone through with it."

Luke laughed. "Oh she would've. She proved that when she chose me over you on more than one occasion." Deacon flinched slightly, that had hurt.

"We'll always be connected no matter how long your marriage lasts." Luke frowned. "We have a daughter together after all." Deacon explained before turning to walk away from the bar and his rival.

"For now…"

Deacon turned back to Luke. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that when you screw up 'coz we all know you will, I'm not sure how forgiving Rayna and Maddie will be. There's only so many times you can hurt someone before they walk away."

"That's not going to happen." Deacon was standing directly in front of Luke now.

"Stop kidding ya'self. Why don't you spare everyone the hurt that you will inevitably cause everyone including yourself and walk away? Give them both the chance to finally be happy in a healthy, functioning family." Deacon's face dropped. "If you'll excuse me… my _**wife's**_ waiting for me." Luke concluded before walking away from the bar and from Deacon, satisfied that he had been understood.

Deacon remained at the bar for some time after, drinking himself into oblivion. It was only when the bartender refused to serve him that he returned to his room.

By the time Luke finally returned to the hotel room, Rayna's phone call with the girls had long finished and she was becoming irritated by his absence. Every time they had tried to have sex, they had been interrupted and it was frustrating her too but that didn't justify his tantrum especially not when it had been Maddie and Daphne that had interrupted them. She was reading when he came in.

"Hey…" he said.

"Hey." She didn't look up.

"Are you annoyed?"

"No." Still, her eyes remained focused on the page in front of her, not that she knew what the words said.

He didn't say anything else but instead dressed for bed. His silence allowed Rayna to become re-engrossed in the book that she was reading. She was so captivated that she didn't realise when he stepped out of the bathroom, didn't realise when he climbed into bed beside her. It wasn't until his lips gently sucked her neck that she did.

"Luke… what are you doing?"

"You're annoyed so I'm making it up to you." He took the book out of her hands and discarded it somewhere on the floor. "And finishing what we started earlier…" His hand gently slid the silk strap off her shoulder, he replaced it immediately with his lips. Then one hand made its way beneath the material of the lingerie and onto her right breast. His caress was gentle at first but as she leaned into him became more intense. Before long, the material was proving to be an obstacle and he rapidly, without care removed it. Luke was hungry for her as he ardently trailed kisses down her stomach leaving goose bumps on the exposed skin. When he reached her waist, he moved back up to her chest taking the left in his mouth and zigzagging his tongue across it eliciting a gasp from Rayna beneath him. He smiled at the effect he was having on her. She was becoming wetter with each action and so pulling him towards her began to remove his clothing but he stopped her placing two fingers inside of her instead. Rayna was so caught up in her need for Luke to enter her that she didn't hear the desperate ring of her phone.

Rayna woke up to the sound of traffic on the street outside the hotel. The first thing she noticed was the absence of Luke's arm draped across her body. Confused, she reached an arm out behind her. Nothing. He wasn't in the bed. Frowning, she sat up. There was no sound coming from the bathroom. Where was he? Climbing out of bed, she noticed her phone lying on the dressing table with a note next to it saying that Luke had had to run an errand and he catch up with her later. Frowning, she then turned her attention to her phone which suddenly lit up. It was Bucky asking if he could come in. She walked to the door and opened it, assuming that he was already outside. She was right.

"What's up?"

"Deacon seems to have gone…" he whispered.

"Good, thanks. That could've been a whole of drama that I do not need right now."

"I didn't speak to him…" Bucky confused, Rayna frowned before she replied.

"Maybe he, for once had some sense and figured that us being in the same hotel was not a good idea." She mused. "It doesn't matter, he's gone."

"Where's Luke?" Bucky asked.

"I don't know." Rayna gestured to the note he had left. "What are we doing today?"

"There's a final sound check but you can skip it if you want it. You've already done two… you can just relax for this morning if you want? You need to be at the stadium for three but until then…"

"Let me get dressed and I'll meet you in the lobby…" Rayna said, Bucky agreed and left her to it. She, then picked up her phone, scrolled through her contacts to Deacon and typed the words "Thank you." There was no immediate reply and she spent the rest of the day, phone-watching in case he replied. He didn't. Regret now took over. She shouldn't have sent the message. She had thought that they were going to be civil to one another and act like adults but judging by his lack of reply, that wasn't going to happen. He was pulling her backwards and forwards and messing with her head. Regardless of being married to someone else, she wanted him in her life and he was making it incredibly difficult. They shared a daughter and he didn't even have the decency to send a response. If that was how it was going to be from now on, there was no way her marriage to Luke would work, there was no way anyone involved was going to be happy. She couldn't put everyone through the chaos of their relationship if that's how it was going to be; she had tried before and it had ended with her almost dying. If Deacon was going to be hot and cold with her, she would be cold with him; it was the only way.


End file.
